Resilient lamp-socket.



N. & W. H. WEEKS.

RESILIENT LAMP SOCKET. APPLIUATION FILED 11.13.12, 1910.

Patented May 2, 1911.

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NELSON WEEKS AND WALTER H. WEEKS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.; SAID NELSON WEEKS ASSIGNOR TO ELLA L. WEEKS,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

RESILIEN'I. LAMP-SOCKET.

Speciflcation of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, NELSON WEEKS and WALTER H. WEEKs, citizens of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Resilient Lamp-Sockets, of which the following is a clear, full, and exact description.

This invention relates to a resilient mounting for electric lamps, particularly such lamps as tungsten or others, having an easily frangible filament.

The particular object'of the invention is to provide a resilient mounting between the stationary part of av socket and the terminal contacts, which also support the lamp.

A'further object is to provide such mounting in a simple, cheap and efiicient form to permit the same to be inserted as a plug in existing sockets.

In carrying out our invention, we provide a socket, either of insulating material or otherwise, and in such socket shell or casing we mount the shell terminal generally threaded, and the center terminal connecting each of the said terminals with the conductors of different polarity through resilient springs, preferably located within the said socket shell or casing. By this means a universal movement of the lamp is permitted to take place in the socket. We provide means to prevent the rotation of the contacts mentioned beyond a limited extent.

In the particular form in which we have shown our invention in this case, we provide the socket shell or casing with an extension equipped with contacts in the shape of an ordinar attachment plug, and we provide on the shell threads to engage a lamp holder, such as is ordinarily used today for holophane shades.

The scope of our invention will be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a central vertical section of an attachment plug, provided with our improved invention. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan of the same with parts broken away to show insulation. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 Fig. 1, looking-in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 4 is an outside plan of the socket, and plug, of our invention with globe holder removed. Fig. 5 is an outside plan of the terminal members ior the lamp and the resilient springs there- As shown in the figures, illustrating an attachment plug, the socket part 1 at its upper end is provided with a threaded annular part 3 for the attachment of a globe holder. Above the part there is an extension or plug part 2. All three parts, socket, annular partand plug may well be integral and of insulating material. The extension 2 is threaded to receive a threaded metal terminal 5 of ordinary construction in attachment plugs, and the extension is provided with a slot or channel 6 extending through the annular part 3, and communicating with the interior of the shell 1. The extension is centrally bored with an opening 7, terminating in the upper part of the shell 1. The shell terminal 8 for the lamp is provided with insulating disks 9, carrying at their center a terminal contact 10 preferably in the form of a screw, which engages a nut 11, to which is secured by soldering or otherwise, spring 12 at its upper end carries a nut 13, which is fastened to the upper end of the recess 7, preferably by a screw 14, serving as one of the terminals of the plug.

To the terminal shell 8 for the lamp, there is secured a helical spring 15, preferably fastened to the shellby solder or otherwise, and terminating in an upstanding end 16, which end passes through the slot 6 in the extension 2', so that upon placing the metal contact shell 5 in place, the corrugations of the threads will point against said leg 16, and grip it firmly in position. The lower ends of the contact shell 5 may be flanged over to prevent the removal of the shell from the extension plug. The flange is shown at 17.

The shell or casing vided with oppositely disposed vertlcal guides 18, and the entire shell may be surrounded by a collar 19, preferably integral with the rest of the shell, if the same is of insulation. Guide pins 20 are secured on opposite sides of the shell terminal 8, which freely ride in the guide slots 18.

en a lamp is inserted in position, its weight will pull the lamp terminals down in the socket against the resiliency of the spring, and when the lamp is touched or jarred, the vibration will be taken up by the 1 is preferably proa spring 12. The

spring to prevent too abrupt jarring of the lamp and the usual breaking of the lamp under such conditions.

In order to adapt the device for heavy lamps the springs may be adjusted as shown in Fig. 1. If lighter lamps are to be used the screw 14; may be rotated to take off some of the lifting power of the spring. This insures keeping the lamps at all times within the shell or socket.

In carrying out this invention, details of construction may be varied from those shown, and yet the essence of the invention be retained; some parts might be employed without others, and new features thereof might be combined with elements old in the art in diverse ways, although the herein described ty-pe is regarded as embodying substantial improvements over such modifications.

We do not claim broadly a shock absorber for lamps having delicate filaments, the essential feature. of our invention being to provide a resilient suspension for that terminal which supports the lamp in the socket, so that the terminal may give, without mo tion being imparted to the socket itself.

By the term lamp supporting terminal as used in the claims, I mean a device such as the threaded shell terminal shown in the drawings, and indicated by the reference character 8, or its equivalent. By its-equivalent I mean a device which itself may engage with or directly support the lamp, and conduct current to the same.

We claim as our invention:

1. The herein described electric lamp socket comprising a casing, and a lamp supporting terminal in resilient suspension within the casing, in combination with contact terminals exterior to such casing whereby the whole is adapted for use as an attachment plug.

2. The herein described electric lamp socket comprising a casing, a lamp supporting terminal, and a spring supporting said terminal and holding the same resiliently in place in the casing, in combination with contact terminals exterior to such casing whereby the whole isadapted for use as an attachment plug.

3. The herein described electric lamp socket, comprising a casing, a lampsupporting terminal, a center terminal within the lamp supporting terminal, and a spring sup porting said lamp supporting terminal, connected to the center terminal, said spring adapted to hold the terminals resiliently in place in the casing.

4. The herein described electric lamp socket, comprising a casing, a lamp supporting terminal, a center terminal within the lamp supporting terminal, a spring supporting said lamp supporting terminal, and a second spring connected to the center terminal, said springs adapted to hold the terminals resiliently in said second sprin belng within and substantially concentric to the first said spring.

5. The herein described attachment plug comprlsing a shell or casing, contact erminals therein, contact terminals'exterior to the casing attached to en age a lamp socket, resilient mounting for t e lamp terminals within the casing, and an annular portion between the exterlor terminals and the socket casing, having screw threads for engagement with a shade holder.

6. An attachment plug, comprising a memberof insulation, having a recessed lower portion and aplug upper portion, and

an intermediate globe holdingand engaging portion, a shell and a center terminal within the recessand a shell and center terminal exterior thereto.

7. The herein described attachment plug comprising a shell or casing, contact terminals therein, contact terminals exterior to the casing, adapted to en age a lamp socket, resilient mounting for t e lamp terminals within the case, and means for limiting the rotation of the resiliently held lamp terminals.

8. The herein described attachment plug, I

comprising a shell or casing, contact terminals therein, contact terminals exterlor to the place in the casing,.

casing adapted to engage a lamp socket, re-

silient mounting for the lamp terminals within the casing, said contact terminals comprising electrical connection between the lamp terminals and the exterior contact terminals, and means for limiting the rotation of the resiliently held lamp terminals.

9. The herein described attachment plug, comprising a shell or casing, contact terminals therein, contact terminals exterior to the casing adapted to engage a lamp socket, and resilient mounting for the lampterminals within the casing, the socket casing be ing provided with vertical guide slots, the shell terminal being provided with pins vertically slidable therein.

10. The herein described attachment plug, comprising a shell or casing, contact terminals therein, contact terminals exterior to the casing adapted to engage a lamp socket, andresillent mounting for the lamp terminals within the casing, said contact terminals comprising electric connection between the lamp terminals and the exterior contact terminals, the socket casing being provided with vertical guide slots, the shell terminal being provided with pins vertically slidable therein.

11. The herein described attachment plug, comprising a shell or casing, contact terminals therein, contact terminals exterior to the casing adapted to en age a lamp socket, and resilient mounting or the lamp terminals within. the casing, the socket casing be- I contact terminals and resilient spring means tion.

12. The herein described attachment plug, comprising a shell or casing, contact terminals therein, contact terminals exterior to the casing adapted to engage a lamp socket, and resilient mounting for the lamp terminals within the casing, said contact terminals comprising electrical connection between the lamp terminals and the exterior contact terminals, the socketcasing being provided with vertical guideslots, the shell terminal bein provided with pins vertically slidable therein, said pins having a limited IHOtlOII Of rotation within the said guide slots.

13. The herein described electriclamp socket, comprising the shell or casing, the

between the casing and the contact terminals, and means for adjusting the extent of pull on the resilient means.

- 14. The herein described electric lamp socket, comprising the shell or casing, the contact terminals and resilient spring means between the casing and the terminal contacts, said resilient spring means being comprised of one helical spring, connected with the shell terminal and one helical spring connected with the center terminal therein, and means for adjusting the spring tension.

15. The herein described electric lamp socket comprising a casing, a lamp supporting terminal and a second terminal and -means uniting them, and means for resiliently suspending said terminals within the socket.

16; The herein described electric lamp socket comprising a casing, a lamp supporting terminal into which a lamp is adapted to be fitted, a'spring within the casing, and between the terminal and the casing, supporting the terminal resiliently in place therein.

17. The herein described electric lamp socket comprising a casing, a lamp supporting terminal, a second terminal insulated therefrom but mounted therewith, and a pair of springs, one connected to one terminal and the other to the other terminal, resiliently supporting the terminals within the casing.

18. The herein described electric lamp socket comprising a casing, a lamp supporting terminal, a second terminal insulated therefrom but mounted therewith, and a pair of springs, one connected to one terminal and the other to theot-her terminal, resiliently supporting the terminals within the casing, said springs being connected to current carrying parts of opposite polarity.

Signed at New York city this 10th day of March 1910.

NELSON WEEKS.

. WALTER H. WEEKS. Vitnesses: V

F. WARREN W'RIG T,

BENJAMIN O. KsENnRUG. 

